Tree Safety FAQ

SDG&E prunes trees for public safety, to prevent outages and fires, and to maintain compliance with state and federal laws. SDG&E is mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to maintain minimum clearance requirements near power lines based on CPUC General Order 95, Rule 35, and Public Resources Code (PRC), Section 4293.

Based on the current clearance from the conductors and the expected growth rate, your neighbor’s tree may not require pruning for the current cycle. Also, your neighbor’s tree may only be encroaching the phone and cable lines, not high-voltage lines.

Generally, only high-voltage primary conductors (750 volts and greater) are cleared of vegetation. These are the lines at the top of the power pole and are marked “High Voltage” on the cross arm. Secondary voltage conductors (<750 volts) are cleared to avoid strain or abrasion of the lines.
 

Relocating or undergrounding power lines and other SDG&E facilities is not a requirement in order to maintain compliance. Undergrounding electrical facilities is very expensive. A power outage on an underground conductor can last longer and be more difficult to repair than overhead lines.

Also, the amount of trenching required to underground facilities may be more detrimental to a tree than continued pruning. If requested to avoid tree pruning, the cost of undergrounding, if approved, is the responsibility of the customer.

Each tree is pruned to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective service to our customers and to comply with applicable laws and regulations. We prune enough so that we won’t have to trim again for at least one year.

We prune for compliance, not aesthetics. SDG&E prunes according to industry standards as endorsed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Society of Arboriculture, taking into account the health of the tree and the clearance required.

These are lower voltage telecommunication conductors (phone and cable) positioned below SDG&E facilities on the power pole. These facilities don’t require the same stringent clearances required of high-voltage conductors. Also, SDG&E does not maintain other utilities’ facilities.

Yes. You can request an appointment by contacting the pruning contractor listed on your mailer or door hanger.

Any tree pruning done around SDG&E power lines must be done by a line-clearance-qualified arborist as defined by the federal and state Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and SDG&E. The California Penal Code also makes it illegal for unauthorized persons to work within six feet of high voltage conductors.

The service drop is a low-voltage conductor running from the utility pole to your house or business. SDG&E does not typically prune for service drops unless there is heavy strain or abrasion.

A customer can have their service drop de-energized by calling SDG&E at 800-411-7343. There is no expense to the customer for this service, but the de-energizing must be scheduled 15 days in advance of any work to be done by the customer.

It depends on the species of the tree and growth rate as well as the location of the tree in relation to the SDG&E power lines. A tree is pruned to hold compliance for at least one year. We trim enough to try to ensure the tree won’t need to be trimmed for at least a year.

The tree can be removed based on an evaluation by an SDG&E Area Forester.

A request for a replacement tree will be considered at the discretion of the SDG&E Area Forester or representative at the time the tree is evaluated for removal.